The SAN francisco BAY bird observatory (sfbbo), h. T. Harvey and associates (HTH), and independent contractorcarleton eyster seek to advance recovery of threatened western snowy plovers (charadrius…

The SAN francisco BAY bird observatory (sfbbo), h. T. Harvey and associates (HTH), and independent contractorcarleton eyster seek to advance recovery of threatened western snowy plovers (charadrius nivosus nivosus plovers) by enhancing their breeding success at eden landing ecological reserve (eler), their most importantbreeding site in recovery unit 3 (RU3) in the SAN francisco BAY estuary. We will also support recovery ofendangered california least terns (sternula antillarum brownii terns) at eler, one of only six colonies withinthe estuary. This project involves field monitoring of plovers and terns to study their breeding activity, nestsuccess, and fledging success, combined with motus wildlife tracking system (motus) tagging plovers to determinehow they use available habitat within eler during nesting and brood-rearing periods, as well as illuminate postbreedingdispersal patterns and winter use. Information resulting from this project will guide RU3 tidal marshrestoration projects that must make important decisions about where to preserve and manage plover and ternhabitat and where to restore IT to tidal action.prior to the breeding season, we will install on the existing eler motus tower an omnidirectional antennadedicated to receiving cellular tracking technology (CTT) node (node) detections. We will deploy 83 nodes acrosseler ponds E13-14, E6B, and EB to allow the motus tower to collect high resolution movement data of taggedplovers within the node array. We will then conduct plover field monitoring at ponds E12-14, E6B, and EB, anddeploy a total of 20 CTT hybridtag motus tags on adult plovers within ponds E14 and E6B. We will concurrentlyconduct tern field monitoring at E14. As part of this monitoring, sfbbo will track predator activity via avianpredator surveys and nest camera footage to direct united states department of agriculture animal and planthealth inspection service (USDA-aphis) predator management efforts. This project will also engage the public in conservation and science in several ways. Sfbbo will hold volunteerbasedhabitat enhancement events within ponds E14 and E6B, making special efforts to invite participation fromunderrepresented groups. Participants will remove predator perches and overgrown vegetation, spread oystershells, and conduct a MUD stomp within known plover and tern nesting areas. These actions collectively willadvance recovery goals by reducing the ability of avian predators to hunt plover and tern adults, eggs, andchicks. Sfbbo will continue our successful volunteer programs at these ponds, monitoring terns at ponds E12-14,and plovers at all eler ponds. During the breeding season, sfbbo will hold a public event to view breedingplovers and terns and share information about our efforts to support their recovery. In the fall, sfbbo will holda free webinar ( birdy hour ) sharing results from this project.deliverables at the conclusion of this project include: 1) habitat enhancement for plovers and terns 2)installation of a node array to enhance motus detections and localization at eler and reports on 3) the breedingsuccess of plovers and 4) terns within both project funded areas and all of eler and 5) predator observationswithin all of eler identifying which species may have impacted the success of these species. Sfbbo will alsoreport 6) the success of volunteer monitoring programs, and 7) the movement of tagged birds detected within themotus node array, dispersal of tagged plovers to other areas with motus towers, and interpretation of how thesedata may impact future restoration actions. All of these deliverables will directly inform management to supportrecovery goals for these threatened and endangered species.